Group Exhibition NOSTALGIA INTERRUPTED

–
Howardena Pindell, Free, White and 21, 1980. Video (colour, sound). Courtesy of the artist and Garth Greenan Gallery, New York
Howardena Pindell, Free, White and 21, 1980. Video (colour, sound). Courtesy of the artist and Garth Greenan Gallery, New York

In the past few years, nostalgia has made a comeback. Not just in the form of flared denim, Barbiecore, or oversized shades, but in the political climate, media, and legislation. Unlike the expected rose-coloured idealism, this resurgence is of insidious proportions. It whispers sweet nothings to a white base fearful of globalization, with slogans such as “We want our country back” and “Make America Great Again.” It touts The Great Replacement and asks its followers to “…stand up for the values that make this country great” while threatening to screen potential Black and brown immigrants for “Canadian values.” This sentimentality is not inclusive. It is a stark reminder of the complexities involved in BIPOC nostalgia, one consistently interrupted by terror, inequality, disposability, fear, and aggression. 

Janice Chung, Cutting Fruit, 2014. From the series Please Come Back Soon. Courtesy of the artist
Janice Chung, Cutting Fruit, 2014. From the series Please Come Back Soon. Courtesy of the artist
Alyssa Bistonath, Dirt Brown Chocolate, 2021. From the series Dirt Brown Chocolate. Courtesy of the artist
Alyssa Bistonath, Dirt Brown Chocolate, 2021. From the series Dirt Brown Chocolate. Courtesy of the artist

Eschewing whitewashed notions of sanguine sentimentalism as portrayed by a dominant hierarchy, this exhibition explores the aspirations, resistance, and heartbreak of marginalized communities within the context of systemic racism, xenophobia, and oppression. Presented both in the gallery and as an online exhibition (which will be launched September 29), NOSTALGIA INTERRUPTED highlights the reminiscence and perseverance of BIPOC communities through lens-based media, text, and installation while offering space for marginalized communities to share the memories, heritage, and experiences that shape their realities. This is vital not for explanation or debate—for the marginalized need not justify their presence—but for reclamation and resistance.

Dima Srouji, Ghosts, 2019 (glass). Photo courtesy of the artist and Amman Design Week
Dima Srouji, Ghosts, 2019 (glass). Photo courtesy of the artist and Amman Design Week
Joi T. Arcand, she used to want to be a ballerina (for Buffy Sainte-Marie), 2019 (music box, stickers). From the series she used to want to be a ballerina. Courtesy of the artist. Collection of Indigenous Art Centre, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada / Government of Canada. Photo: Carrie Shaw Photography
Joi T. Arcand, she used to want to be a ballerina (for Buffy Sainte-Marie), 2019 (music box, stickers). From the series she used to want to be a ballerina. Courtesy of the artist. Collection of Indigenous Art Centre, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada / Government of Canada. Photo: Carrie Shaw Photography
Chantal Gibson, Braided Book, 2011 (mixed-media altered text: book, photo, black waxed linen thread). Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Chantal Gibson & Adrian Bisek
Chantal Gibson, Braided Book, 2011 (mixed-media altered text: book, photo, black waxed linen thread). Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Chantal Gibson & Adrian Bisek
Caroline Monnet, Deer in Headlights 01, 2019 (concrete, high visibility safety vests). Courtesy of Caroline Monnet Studio
Caroline Monnet, Deer in Headlights 01, 2019 (concrete, high visibility safety vests). Courtesy of Caroline Monnet Studio

NOSTALGIA INTERRUPTED is a hybrid presentation, with a digital exhibition designed by Aegis featuring works by Joi T. Arcand, Alyssa Bistonath, Janice Chung, Chantal Gibson, Caroline Monnet, Howardena Pindell, Dima Srouji, and Shellie Zhang, and an onsite exhibition at Doris McCarthy Gallery presenting works by Gibson, Monnet, Pindell, Srouji, and Zhang.

Shellie Zhang, Exhibit A (The Curious Case of Quong Wing v. R), 2020–21. From the series Believe It or Not. Courtesy of the artist
Shellie Zhang, Exhibit A (The Curious Case of Quong Wing v. R), 2020–21. From the series Believe It or Not. Courtesy of the artist
  • Dima Srouji
  • Howardena Pindell
  • Chantal Gibson
  • Janice Chung
  • Joi T. Arcand
  • Alyssa Bistonath

  • Caroline Monnet (Anishinaabe/French) is a multidisciplinary artist from Outaouais, Quebec. At the heart of her practice is the communication of complex ideas about Aboriginal identity and bicultural life through the examination of cultural histories. Her works combine the vocabulary of popular and traditional visual cultures with the tropes of modernist abstraction to create unique hybrid forms. She studied Sociology and Communication at the University of Ottawa (Canada) and the University of Granada (Spain) before pursuing a career in visual arts and film. Her work has been programmed internationally at the Palais de Tokyo (Paris), Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Berlin), Whitney Biennial (NYC), Toronto Biennale of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art (Montréal), Arsenal Contemporary (NYC), Walter Phillips Gallery (Banff), and the National Art Gallery (Ottawa).

  • Shellie Zhang

Venues & Directions

  • Virtual

    Online Toronto

    Opening Hours

    Open 24 Hours

Virtual
Doris McCarthy Gallery

Core Exhibitions

Curated exhibitions and public art presented in partnership with institutions across the GTA